Mud Volcano anybody been recent

[insag]

Will we have been to Cartegena LOVE this city so much history,, and never felt unsafe,, we go back in Nov and ready to try something different..

And the Mud Volcano really looks good (don't tell the DH) he would never go but if I surprise him and it is paid for he has to...

I'm not one to go with the ship..I usually use a local guide Miles, or Dora when I'm there...

Anybody been to the Volcano and can tell me who to use,, or is something I can just get off the ship and hire a taxi for...and if so price

[Appygirl]

We were there in May and had a great time. My husband entertained all our tablemates that night with the wonderful mud bath experience and they were all wishing they'd booked it too. We booked the shore excursion through Princess. This is the only port that I booked through the ship. The Panama Canal was the next day so I didn't want to risk missing it! Its about an hour from the port to Totumo where the volcano is. Nice highway along the coast. Several military check points. Best to be on a tour bus than run into trouble with a private taxi whose driver might be interrogated for a few hours and you're stuck out in the boonies with no way to get back to the ship. This has to be the most fun excursion I've ever done. I'd definitely do it again. You absolutely must go to the mud bath. You'll have a great time. If you'd like to know more about it I wrote about it and posted some photos on my blog. http://appytales.blogspot.com/2010/05/totumo-mud-volcano-bath.html

 

The ship tour was $54 and we left a $10 tip when they passed the basket on the bus. I believe a taxi runs $20 to $30 to take you there and back.

[insag]

We were there in May and had a great time. My husband entertained all our tablemates that night with the wonderful mud bath experience and they were all wishing they'd booked it too. We booked the shore excursion through Princess. This is the only port that I booked through the ship. The Panama Canal was the next day so I didn't want to risk missing it! Its about an hour from the port to Totumo where the volcano is. Nice highway along the coast. Several military check points. Best to be on a tour bus than run into trouble with a private taxi whose driver might be interrogated for a few hours and you're stuck out in the boonies with no way to get back to the ship. This has to be the most fun excursion I've ever done. I'd definitely do it again. You absolutely must go to the mud bath. You'll have a great time. If you'd like to know more about it I wrote about it and posted some photos on my blog. http://appytales.blogspot.com/2010/05/totumo-mud-volcano-bath.html

 

The ship tour was $54 and we left a $10 tip when they passed the basket on the bus. I believe a taxi runs $20 to $30 to take you there and back.

 

 

Thanks for posting I'm going to go head and book it,,, my husband is going to be so surprised

[StartrainDD]

If you can do the Volcano on a ship's sponsored tour - then I strongly encourage you to do it!

 

However, if your ship does not sponsor a tour - based on our experience last week (November 4, 2010) it is not worth the risk.

 

A group of six from our roll call enlisted Dora's company to give us a tour to the mud volcano. We had a marvelous time there. Better than expected. But, about 3KM from the volcano the "Toll highway" goes through a little village. Village is a polite term in this case...

 

The "Village" was protesting (another polite term - more like a combination of partying and rioting) and had blocked the toll highway. It had rained for a few days before our visit and apparently they had no power or water. 20 Policia and 10 Military with machine guns were incapable of getting the road reopened.

 

After being held up nearly an hour, one of the Policia suggested to our guide to attempt to go around through the back mud streets of the "Village." We did so but twice the driver had to pay bribes to locals to unblock the roads. We eventually made it out and back to the ship but we were honestly very concerned about getting back!

 

So the message is - don't chance doing the volcano on a port call unless you're on a ship's tour and they will wait for you!

[lorideco]

I just came back and we did the mud volcano with Dora. I do not how much it is since we did a tour and it was included the price. We loved it and thought it was great since we like to do different things and it was surely different. I would not do it thru the ship because the volcano is not that big and it would be very crowded. We were a group of 6 and there was another group of 6 already there. That was fine. When a large group came, we got out. I have to warn you though, they are a lot of people there wanting tips. First, we had someone take my camera so they could take pictures of us. That was great. Then there was someone in the mud to give you a massage, which I really didn't need. Then you go down to the lake where the girls rip off your clothes and wash you down. After they all come to you with their hands out. They wanted a $5 tip per person for the massage and another $5 for the washing down. And also a $5 tip for the person taking your pictures. It all added up when we were six people.

 

We did really enjoy it though and I would do it again.